Asynchronous quick connect for low-latency transitions of content presentation between two devices

Abstract

An electronic device, method, and computer program product provide an asynchronous quick connection or reconnection between wireless connecting devices for low-latency transitions in presentation of content to a user. A first device transmits an out-of-band frame sync signal to a second device to prompt the second device to synchronize clocks with the first device and to one of: (i) connect; and (ii) reconnect an over-the-air (OTA) communication session with the first device. First and second devices establish the OTA communication session. The establishment is expedited by the out-of-band frame sync signal. First device transmits output data, via the in-band OTA session, by the first device to the second device to present the output data on a second user output device of the second device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 comparing, by the first device, a time threshold to an amount of time that has elapsed since the respective first and second clocks of the first and second device were synchronized; 
 in response to determining that the amount of elapsed time exceeds the time threshold, transmitting an out-of-band frame sync signal by a first device to a second device to prompt the second device to synchronize a second clock of the second device with a first clock of the first device and to one of: (i) connect; and (ii) reconnect an in-band over-the-air (OTA) communication session between the second device and the first device, the out-of-band frame sync signal enabling faster connection/reconnection than a set interval of a Bluetooth (BT) sniff mode; 
 establishing the in-band OTA communication session between the second device and the first device, a timing for establishing the in-band OTA communication session expedited by the out-of-band frame sync signal; and 
 transmitting output data, via the in-band OTA session, by the first device to the second device to present the output data on a second user output device of the second device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting of the out-of band signal is completed via a physical communication channel between the first and second device. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining, by the first and second devices, whether a trigger event has occurred, the trigger event being a status of the physical communication channel between the first and second devices having changed from connected to disconnected; and 
 in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, synchronizing, by the first and second devices, the respective first and second clocks based on the triggering event. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the transmitting of the out-of-band frame sync signal over an OTA communication channel is performed to: (i) wake up the second device; (ii) prompt the second device to reconnect with the first device; and (iii) synchronize time with the first device for reduced latency in transmitting output data that will be subsequently received in a queue. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring, by the first device, for the output data present in a queue on the first device, the output data being selected for presentation on the output device of the second device; 
 in response to determining that the output data is present in a queue, transmitting the out-of-band frame sync signal by the first device to the second device to prompt the second device to wake up and to synchronize time with the first device; and 
 reconnecting, via the in-band OTA communication session, the first device to the second device. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising encoding, by the first device, preset timing, frequency and connection parameters with the asynchronous frame sync signal during wireless connection between the first and second devices. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising provisioning the first and second devices with preset timing, frequency and connection parameters for wireless connection between the first and second devices with reduced connection latency. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the first device, an out-of-band frame sync signal from the second device; 
 synchronizing the first clock of the first device to the second device in response to receiving the out-of-band frame sync signal from the second device; 
 establishing a second in-band OTA communication session that is expedited by the out-of-band frame sync signal; and 
 receiving output data, via the in-band OTA communication session, by the first device from the second device; and 
 presenting the output data from the second device on a first user output device of the first device. 
 
     
     
       9. An electronic device comprising:
 a transmitter; 
 a receiver; 
 a first clock 
 a device interface communicatively coupled to a second device; 
 a memory having a user interface application and a queue for containing output data; 
 a controller comprising a processor communicatively coupled to the transmitter, the memory, and the device interface, the processor executing program code to enable the electronic device to:
 compare a time threshold to an amount of time elapsed since the respective first and second clocks of the first and second device were synchronized; 
 in response to determining that the amount of elapsed time exceeds the time threshold, transmit an out-of-band frame sync signal by the device interface to the second device to prompt the second device to synchronize a second clock of the second device with the first clock of the electronic device and to one of: (i) connect; and (ii) reconnect an in-band over-the-air (OTA) communication session between the second device and the electronic device, the out-of-band frame sync signal enabling faster connection/reconnection than a set interval of a Bluetooth (BT) sniff mode; 
 establish the in-band OTA communication session between the second device and the first device, a timing for establishing the in-band OTA communication session expedited by the out-of-band frame sync signal; and 
 transmit output data, via the in-band OTA session, by the transmitter to the second device to present the output data on a second user output device of the second device. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the controller enables the electronic device to transmit the out-of-band frame sync signal via the physical communication channel between the device interface and the second device. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the controller enables the electronic device to:
 determine whether a trigger event has occurred, the trigger event being a status of the physical communication channel between the device interface and the second devices has changed from connected to disconnected; and 
 in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, synchronize the first clock based on the triggering event, wherein the second device responds to the triggering event by synchronizing the second clock of the second device. 
 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the controller enables the electronic device to:
 transmit the out-of-band frame sync signal over an OTA communication channel to: (i) wake up the second device; (ii) prompt the second device to reconnect with the first device; and (iii) synchronize time with the electronic device and the second device for reduced latency in transmitting output data that will be subsequently received in the queue. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the controller enables the electronic device to:
 monitor, by the first device, for the output data present in a queue on the first device, the output data being selected for presentation on the output device of the second device; 
 in response to determining that the output data is present in the queue, transmit the out-of-band frame sync signal by the first device to the second device to prompt the second device to wake up and to synchronize time with the first device; 
 reconnect via the in-band OTA communication session, the first device to the second device. 
 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the controller enables the electronic device to encode, by the first device, the preset timing, frequency and connection parameters with the asynchronous frame sync signal during wireless connection between the first and second devices. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the controller enables the electronic device to access to the preset timing, frequency and connection parameters for wireless connection between the first and second devices with reduced connection latency. 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the user output device comprises at least one of: (i) a display; and (ii) an audio speaker. 
     
     
       17. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the controller enables the electronic device to:
 receive, by the first device, an out-of-band frame sync signal from the second device; 
 synchronize the first clock of the first device to the second clock of the second device in response to receiving the out-of-band frame sync signal from the second device; 
 establish an in-band OTA communication session that is expedited by the out-of-band frame sync signal; and 
 receive output data, via the in-band OTA communication session, by the first device from the second device; and 
 present the output data from the second device on a first user output device of the first device. 
 
     
     
       18. A computer program product comprising:
 a computer readable storage device; and 
 program code on the computer readable storage device that when executed by a processor associated with a first device, the program code enables the first device to provide the functionality of:
 comparing, by the first device, a time threshold to an amount of time that has elapsed since the respective first and second clocks of the first and second device were synchronized; 
 in response to determining that the amount of elapsed time exceeds the time threshold, transmitting an out-of-band frame sync signal by a first device to a second device to prompt the second device to synchronize second clock of the second device with a first clock of the first device and to one of: (i) connect; and (ii) reconnect an over-the-air (OTA) communication session between the second device and the first device, the out-of-band frame sync signal enabling faster connection/reconnection than a set interval of a Bluetooth (BT) sniff mode; 
 establishing the in-band OTA communication session between the second device and the first device, a timing for establishing the in-band OTA communication session expedited by the out-of-band frame sync signal; and 
 transmitting output data, via the in-band OTA session, by the first device to the second device to present the output data on a second user output device of the second device. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein the program code enables the first device to provide the functionality of:
 transmitting the out-of-band frame sync signal via a physical communication channel from the first device to the second device; 
 determining whether a trigger event has occurred, the trigger event being a status of the physical communication channel between the first and second devices having changed from connected to disconnected; and 
 in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, synchronizing the first clock based on the triggering event, wherein the second device responds to the triggering event by synchronizing the second clock of the second device. 
 
     
     
       20. The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein the transmitting of the out-of band signal is completed via a physical communication channel between the first and second device, and the program code comprises code that enables the first device to provide the functionality of:
 determining, by the first and second devices, whether a trigger event has occurred, the trigger event being a status of the physical communication channel between the first and second devices having changed from connected to disconnected; and 
 in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, synchronizing, by the first and second devices, the respective first and second clocks based on the triggering event.